Safety razor



y 1943- E. B. NELSON 2,318,324

SAFETY RAZOR Filed Feb. 16, 1942 ZVereZZifl/eisow INVENTQR ATTORNEYS Patented May 4, 1943 SAFETY RAZOR Everett B. Nelson, :Lincoln, Nebn, assignor to Guardsman Safety Razor, Inc., Lincoln, Nebr.

Application February 16, 1942, Serial No. 431,181

8 Claims.

This invention relates to safety razors, and its general object is to provide a razor that is constructed to bring about an extremely close shave without possibility of cutting, scraping or chafing the skin and with minimum effort on the part of the user, in that the blade is arranged on a natural shaving angle, and the cutting edge thereof is amply guarded by being wholly disposed rearwardly of guard teeth, the latter of course, allowing free passage of the hair between the same, for the blade to contact and cut the hair adjacent to or at the juncture of the hair with the skin.

A further object is to provide a safety razor in which a portion of the blade along its length is securely clamped and held against casual removal or displacement while the remaining and greater portion of the blade is free to allow flexing thereof to bring about adjustment of its cutting edge relative to the guard teeth, to vary the closeness of the shave and the blade is flexed or adjusted independently of its holding means.

A still further object is to provide a safety razor that is constructed to allow thorough cleansing thereof, merely by flushing the same with water, and without removing the blade or changing the adjustment thereof.

Another object is to provide a safety razor that includes a handle which is shaped so that it can be lightly gripped and conveniently held if without fear of slipping from the hand of the user.

A further object is to provide a safety razor in which the blade can be easily and expeditiously applied and removed with respect to its holder, and the razor is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely efficient in operation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of theseveral parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure l is a. longitudinal sectional view taken through the razor which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front view of the razor, with the blade removed.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 2. Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken through the head of my razor, and illustrates the blade and the adjusting means therefor in one position in full lines and in another position in dotted lines that forms a part of the handle.

Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating a fragmentary portion of the clamping shaft.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the member for securing the shaft within the sleeve against endwise movement.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the'blade.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be noted that the handle includes a sleeve 1 having formed on the inner end thereof, a flange 2 for the head. Rctatably mounted in the sleeve tie a shaft 3 having a threaded end portion 4 extending through the sleeve beyond the flanged end thereof, as best shown in Figure 1, while the opposite end of the shaft has secured thereto a ribbed or serrated knob 5 that'is held in bearing relation with the outer end of the sleeve I by a semicircular collar member 6 that is mounted in a semicircular recess 1 provided in the sleeve, as best shown in Figure 7 for disposal of the collar member within an annular groove 8 in the shaft. By that construction, it will be obvious that the shaft can be freely rotated but is held against endwise movement.

Mounted on the sleeve and having its ends bearing against the flange 2 and the knob 5, is a shell 9 that is preferably made from plastic material and is formed with finger and thumb receiving channels If], so that the handle can be lightly gripped and conveniently held without fear of slipping from the hand of the user.

The head of the razor includes a blade holder which is provided with a stationary clamping member that has a rear wall formed to provide a rearwardly and upwardly inclined portion II increasing in width from its lower end and integral with th flange 2, and an upper portion :2 that is forwardly directed from the portion l. The upper portion of the rear wall has an upwardly arched flange I3 formed thereon along its upper edge and directed forwardly at a downward inclination therefrom, The flange it provides an upper clamping jaw for the blade, and formed on and directed forwardly from the side edges of the upper portion I2, are forwardly directed side wall members M. The flange or upper jaw I3 is of a length so that the ends thereof terminate in spaced relation to the side wall members [4, as best shown in Figure 2.

Cooperating with the upper jaw i3, is a movable jaw l5 that has formed on its rear edge, a rear wall including an upper straight portion l6 paralleling the upper portion l2, and a vertically slotted depending forwardly curved lower portion l7 reduced in width toward its lower end, the latter having a cap nut I18 formed thereon, and the cap nut is threadedly mounted on the threaded end portion 4 of the shaft 3, for moving the jaw l5 toward and away from the jaw l3, upon rotation of the knob 5.

Formed on and extending forwardly at a downward inclination from the rear wall portion [5 and the movable jaw l5, are relatively thick side walls [9 that have formed on and bridging the .forward portions thereof a guard bar 20 that extends rearwardly for a portion of the longitudinal center of the side walls l9 which have their forward ends reduced'in curved formation toward the center thereof, as at 2|, and formed on and rising from the guard bar 20 are vertical teeth 22 that are arranged in equidistantly spaced relation with respect to each other throughout the length of the bar 20, as best shown in Figure 2. The teeth have curved forward edges 23 and the upper ends thereof terminate in a plane above the plane of the upper face of the jaw l5, while the rear edges of the teeth are recessed as at 24.

The side walls I9 are each provided with a recess 25 along the length of the upper edge thereof and the recesses 25 register with each other. Fixed to the side walls l9 and rising from the upper edges thereof in close proximity to the rear ends of the recesses 25, are pins 26 that cooperatewith the clamping jaws for securing the blade 21 in place and against casual removal or displacement, the blade being disposed between the jaws, as best shown in Figure 4, and with the pins mounted in notches 28 centrally of the side edges of the blade, so that substantially the entire forward portion of the blade from adjacent the notches 28 will overlie the recesses 25 and thereby is free for flexing movement, as

clearly shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. The

ure 4.

In order to bring about adjustment of the forward cutting edge of the blade, relative to the upper edges of the teeth, I provide a handled cam member that includes a sleeve 29 having a pin like shaft 30 fixed therein and extending beyond its ends to provide trunnions 3| that are mounted in bearing openings in the side walls -l9. The sleeve 29 is formed by rolling an edge portion of a strip upon itself and the strip is cut to provide a pair of elongated cam members 32 of a width to bear against the under face of the blade 21, upon movement of the cam members, through the medium of a strip like handle 33 formed on the sleeve 29 and extending therefrom midway its ends at a rearward angle for disposal through the slot of the portion I1 and a vertically disposed slot 34 in the inclined rear wall portion The lower portion of the handl 33 is forwardly curved and corrugated to provide a finger piece 35.

While the blade shown is of the double edge type, a single edge blade may be used, but in any event, it will be obvious that the blade is applied and removed with respect to the head from the top thereof. When applying the blade, the jaw I5 is moved away from the jaw [3 upon rotating the knob 5 in one direction, thence the blade is slipped between the .jaws, and the jaw I5 is moved in clamping engagement with the blade upon rotating the knob 5 in an opposite direction. After the blade has been fixed in place, it is adjusted to the desired position relative to the teeth 22, through the medium of the handle 33, as will be obvious upon inspection of Figure 4.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A safety razor comprising a handle, a head including a stationary jaw, a movable jaw, a flexible blade of a width greater than that of the jaws to be clamped between the same to provide a free forward portion of the blade, vertical teeth carried by the movable jaw in advance of the cutting edge of the blade, said cutting edge being arranged below the top of the teeth, means mounted in the handle and connected to the movable jaw for actuating the latter into and out of clamping engagement with the blade, and independent means for flexing the free portion of the blade intermediate the clamping means and the cutting edge to adjust the position of said cutting edge relative to the top of the teeth.

2. A safety razor comprising a handle, a head including a forwardly and downwardly inclined stationary jaw, a movable jaw underlying the stationary jaw and following the inclination thereof, a flexible blade of a width greater than that of the jaws to be clamped between the same to provide a free forward portion for the blade, vertical guard teeth carried by the movable jaw in advance of the cutting edge of the blade, said cutting edge being arranged below the top of the teeth, means mounted in the handle and connected to the movable jaw for actuating the latter into and out of clamping engagement with the blade, cam means mounted for rocking movement in the head and engageable with the forward portion of the blade intermediate the clamping means and the cutting edge for flexing the same to adjust the position of said cutting edge relative to the top of the teeth, and a handle for the cam means and extending rearwardly of the head.

3. A safety razor comprising a handle including a sleeve, a shaft rotatably mounted in the sleeve, a head including a stationary jaw, a movable jaw underlying the stationary jaw, a flexible blade of a width greater than that of the jaws to be clamped between the same to provide a free forward portion for the blade, vertical guard teeth carried by the movable jaw in advance of the cutting edge of the blade,'said cutting edge being arranged below the top of the teeth, means connecting the movable jaw with the shaft for actuating the movable. jaw into and out of clamping engagementwith the blade upon rotation of the shaft, and means for flexing the free portion of the blade to adjust the position of said cutting edge relative to the top of the teeth.

4. A safety razor comprising a handle including a sleeve, a shaft rotatably mounted in the sleeve, a head including a stationary jaw, a movable jaw underlying the stationary jaw, a flexible blade of a width greater than that of the jaw to be clamped between the same to provide a free forward portion for the blade, vertical guard teeth carried by the movable jaw in ad- Vance of the cutting edge of the blade, said cutting edge being arranged below the top of the teeth, said shaft having a threaded end, means connected to the movable jaw and threaded to said end of the shaft for actuating the movable jaw into and out of clamping engagement with the blade upon rotation of the shaft, a knob secured to the opposite end of the shaft for rotating the same, a shell secured to the sleeve and having thumb and finger gripping channels therein, and means for flexing the free portion of the blade to adjust the position of said cutting edge relative to the top of the teeth.

5. A safety razor comprising a handle, a head including a rear wall fixed to and rising from the handle, said rear wall having a forwardly inclined upper portion, a forwardly and downwardly inclined stationary jaw formed on said upper portion, side walls formed on said upper portion, a movable jaw underlying the stationary jaw, side walls formed on the movable jaw and extending forwardly therefrom, a flexible blade of a width greater than that of the jaws to be clamped between the same to provide a free forward portion for the blade, a guard bar secured to and bridging the side walls of the movable jaw, teeth formed on and rising from the guard bar in advance of the cutting edge of the blade, said cutting edge being arranged below the top of the teeth, means mounted in the handle and connected to the movable jaw for actuating the latter into and out of clamping engagement with the blade, cam means including a sleeve, a shaft extending through the sleeve and mounted in the side walls of the movable jaw for rocking movement, cam members formed on the sleeve and engageable with the free portion of the blade for flexing the same to adjust the position of said cutting edge relative to the top of the teeth, and a handle formed on the sleeve and extending rearwardly of the head.

6. A safety razor comprising a handle, a head including a rear wall fixed to and rising from the handle, said rear wall having a forwardly inclined upper portion, a forwardly and downwardly inclined stationary jaw formed on said upper portion, a movable jaw underlying the stationary flaw. downwardly and forwardly inclined side walls formed on the movable jaw and extending forwardly therefrom, pins secured to and rising from said side walls substantially midway the ends thereof, a flexible blade of a width greater than that of the jaws to be clamped between the same to provide a free forward portion for the blade, said blade having notches in the ends thereof and resting on the tops of the side walls with the pins disposed in the notches, a guard bar secured to and bridging the forward ends of the side walls, guard teeth formed on and rising from said bar in advance of the cutting edge of the blade, said cutting edge being arranged below the top of the eeth, means mounted in the handle and connected to the movable jaw for actuating the latter into and out of clamping engagement with the blade, and means for flexing the free portion of the blade to adjust the position of said cutting edge relative to the top of the teeth.

7. A safety razor comprising a handle including a sleeve, a shaft rotatably mounted in the sleeve and held against endwise movement, a head including a stationary jaw, a movable jaw underlying the stationary jaw, a flexible blade of a width greater than that of the jaws to be clamped between the same to provide a free forward portion for the blade, vertical guard teeth carried by the movable jaw in advance of the cutting edge of the blade, said cutting edge being arranged below the top of the teeth, a rear wall including an upper portion having the movable jaw formed thereon, a vertically slotted depending forwardly curved lower portion for the rear Wall, said shaft having a threaded end, a cap nut formed on the lower end of said lower portion of the rear wall and threaded on said end of the shaft for actuating the movable jaw into and out of clamping engagement of the blade upon rotation of the shaft, a serrated knob secured to the opposite end of the shaft for rotating the same, cam means mounted for rocking movement in the head and engageable with the free portion of the blade for flexing the same to adjust the position of said cutting edge relative to the top of the teeth, and a handle for the cam means and extending through the slot for disposal rearwardly of the head.

8. A safety razor comprising a handle, a head including a stationary jaw, a movable jaw, a flexible blade clamped between the same to provide a free forward portion for the blade, teeth carried by the movable jaw in advance of the cutting edge of the blade, and adjustable means carried by the stationary jaw for engaging the blade intermediate the clamping means and the cutting edge forflexing the same to adjust the position of the cutting edge relative to the top of the teeth.

EVERETT B. NELSON. 

